River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-03-10
MIR. REECHER STRICKEN.

Rev. Henry Ward Beecher suffered a
stroke of apoplexy ON Saturday morning
March 5th, and his physician, DIR. VIM.
Searle said of him at an early hour Sunday
morning: "He may live a day and he may
live week and there is bare possibility
he may survive the shock, but the mental
and bodily faculties can never be restored. -
Mr.. Beecher's illness began Friday morning
with an attack of head ache and vomiting.
Being quieted he slept until 80 of the at
teTnOon, and it was thought he had moth
ing more than an attack OF indigestion and
hllllousness. At 10 p. m, Friday evening
his physician called and he seemed better,
hav ng then full control of all his faculties,
speech and movements. At 10 a. m, Sat
urday, DIR. Searle found he had partial par
alysis of the left side, not being able TO
move the arm or limb or articulate plainly.
DIR. VIM. Hammond was called and pro
nounced the case one of cerebral appOpleXy.
MIR. Beecher's age is % years.
Mr. Beecher was still alive at 2:30 "a.
m March :, but DIR. Hammond said of him,
Mr.. Beecher will never know this earth
again, at least not to mortal sense" DIR
Talmadge in his prayers and sermons Sun
day made touching illusions TO the stricken
man. Assistant pastor Halliday conducted
the Sunday service in Plymouth church,
where a great congregation were deeply
affected.
Reports from Mr.. Beecher up 10
O'Clock Tuesday morning were that he was
slowly failing. He remained during Mon
day totally unconscious, simply breathing,
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe telegraphed
from Florida message of sympathy, but
she was too ill to undertake a journey.
Mr. Beecher was born at Litchiicld,
CoHn., June "A, 1873 the son of Rev. Ly-
man Beecher, the most distinguished Amer
lean Clergyman in the Congregational
church of his day. When he was three
years old his mother died, and his father
soon re-marrying his childhood was passed
under the tuition IF a most devoted step
mother, who won his love lastingly. At the
age of n he graduated at Amherst, and
concluded his theological studies at
Lane Seminary, at Cincinnati, Ohio. In
1885, he became the pastor OF a new church
at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and in 1853 he
accepted the charge of a church at Indian
apolis, which he served until 1871, when he
had attained such fame that he was called
to the pastOrship of Plymouth church at
Brooklyn, remaining at its head for forty
years, and attaining the highest position as
an American divine, and the story of his
life is the his tory OF the most remarkable
church organization that has existed in this
country. As "A pulpit orator he was
without peer in the world. lie achieved
fame also as a lecturer and journalist, his
first labOrs IN the latter field beginning IN
1896 as editor of the Cincinnati Journal: in
1910 he edited for "A short time the Western
Farmer and Gardner, al Indianapolis from
lS6l to 1868 he was editor-ln-chief of the n.
y. independent; from $40 70 1881 he was
the guiding spirit of the Christian Union.
tie found time for literature, and became
the author of many books which had wide
circulation, his earlier work in this field
being the Star Papers His weekly ser
mons, as taken down by stenographers since
1859. have been published under the title of
The Plymouth Pulpit ana form about
twenty volumes. he has also published,
Lectures 10 Young Men, Industry and
Idleness;n Life Thoughts" in two editions,
edited by Edn. Dean Proctor and Augusta
Moore; Sermons on Liberty and War"
THE Plymouth Collection of Hymns and
Tunes" Norwood" a novel, originally
published in the New York Ledger; ser
! mons from Published and Unpublished Dis
courses in two volumes; The Life of
/ Christ" in two volumes and yale Lee
| lures on Preaching"
| During the civil war he visited England
/ with view to disabusing the public mind
/ there, which was strongly in favor of the
| Southern side. He had stormy reception,
/ turned the tide, and won for his cause just
understanding, and from being contemn-
/ ated and derided he became
/ the admiration and hero of
| all classes, performing patriotic service
/ for his country of incalculable value. The
/ great shadow of his life, the Tilton accuse
/ ton in 1874 he met with categorical de
4 NAL, and the result of the trial extending
\ over months, a disagreement of the
! jury, nine standing for Mr. Beecher and
/ three for Mr.. Triton. This ended the case in
the courts, and from the fire of attack Mr.
Beecher came out practically unscathed
and continued steadfast and ever powerful
in his work to the end.
/ In August 1881, be married Miss Eunict
/ Bullard, and of this marriage three sons and
| a daughter Mrs. Scoville, wife of clergy
| mani with Mrs. Beecher survive. In heI
the great preacher found helpmeet that
/ was the chief human support of his career
/ Mrs. Beecher has done quite an amount OF
| literary work as a contributor to periodi
Gals and author of several books, including
| a cook book OF high favor. Much might be
| added of life history so conspicuous but
its salient points have beeu noted. The
| work of the master mind and teacher is he
| fore the world. and TIE word of his time
| has been made better and purer by the
| breadth and charity and hope and faith 50
| luminous in all his offerings for the instruc
! fipu pf his fpllouman